Japan could be the next Asian gambling hotspot

30.06.2005, Lesen Sie hier den Bericht über «Japan could be the next Asian gambling hotspot».

People are receptive to opening the country to casinos

(Japan).- After the opening of Macau and Singapur to the international gambling market, Japan could be the next Asian country to follow the trend. An expert from Osaka University of Commerce said the stage is set for the introduction of legalized gaming in Japan.


Surveys conducted in 2002 indicated that the Japanese are receptive to opening the country to casino gaming.

Ichiro Tanioka, who has conducted a series of studies on behalf of Japan’s Liberal Party, commented that there already is a proliferation of illegal gambling in Japan and that the number of pachinko and pachislo machines operating in the country outnumbers slot machines worldwide.

He estimated there also to be 200,000 illegally run underground casino bars - called shantis - operating in Japan currently generating more than us$ 10 billion in revenue a year.

According to Tanioka’s study, there were nearly 5 million pachinko-type machines operating in Japan. In addition, he said there already is legal wagering in Japan on horse, bicycle, boat and motorcycle racing. Betting on racing was legalized in the late 1940s and early 1950s, a national lottery was approved in 1948 and sports betting was permitted in 1998.

Tanioka’s study indicated that the Japanese pubic is becoming more tolerant of gaming and that he expected licenses to be awarded initially in ten locations. The idea to analyze casino gambling in Japan for future projects began in 2000 and, after some delays, resurfaced again in 2002. Surveys conducted in 2002 indicated that the Japanese are receptive to opening the country to casino gaming, with 49.1 percent of the people surveyed either agreeing or conditionally agreeing that casinos should be allowed, and 24.8 percent taking a neutral stance. Only 26.2 percent were against legalization.

Tanioka said local government leaders within the Japanese Liberal Party would make efforts to try to persuade opposition groups to change their minds, since there isn’t enough support nationally to pass a law to allow casinos. He said several questions remain, including who would own, finance and manage casinos, and when and where they would be built.

Über Glücksspiele in Macau - Gambling in Macao:

Macau (englisch Macao) liegt rund 50 Kilometer westlich von Hongkong und ist das Glücksspiel-Paradies in Asien.

Macau hat rund 40 Spielcasinos. Die grössten Casinos sind The Venetian Macao, MGM Macao, Wynn Macao, Galaxy StarWorld, City of Dreams, Sands Macao, Casino Lisboa.

Neben den riesigen und farbenfrohen Casinobuildings ist eines der Wahrzeichen der Macau Tower (Fernsehturm mit 338 Meter) mit atemberaubenden Ausblicken auf die Stadt.

Macau erstreckt sich über eine Fläche von 115.3 km2 und hat rund 620'000 Einwohner.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Japan could be the next Asian gambling hotspot ---


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